My latest discovery in the hunt for Revolutionary War ancestors is William Dorris of New Jersey and Sumner County, Tennessee. His file is W 916. William Dorris is my 4th great grandfather on my grandmother Ellen Geneva Dorris Saddler’s side. Ellen Geneva Dorris Saddler, age 94, is the daughter of John Anderson Dorris. John Anderson Dorris was the son of Joab Dorris, who was the son of John Dorris. John Dorris was the son of William Dorris, who was a Revolutionary War Soldier.

William Dores (Dorris) of Sumner Co in the State of Tennessee who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Titus of the reg’t commanded by (left blank) in the N.J. line. Issued on the rolls of West Tenn at the rate of $20 per annum to commence on the 4th day of March 1831. Certificate of pension issued the 25 day of July ’34 (1834).

Eleanor Dorris, widow of William Dorris who served in the Revolutionary War as a private inscribed on the roll at the rate of $20. Certificate of pension issued the 23 day of Jany/49 (1849).

Sumner Co State of Tennessee…On the 16th day of August 1832 William Dorris personally appeared in open court before Thomas Anderson, William Edwards and John L. (?) Esqrs the court of pleas and quarter sessions now sitting said county. He being a resident of said county and state aforesaid aged about seventy one years old as near as he can recollect not having any regular (?) of his age…who being first duly sworn according to law doth on the oath make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as here in stated. He resided in the state of New Jersey and county of Hunterdon where he was born and township of Hopewell. Shortly after the defeat of Berg..(?) which was in 1777 he believes–he was called out as a militia man from said county on a tour of one month to guard the british…(?) at Trenton….my captain was by the name of Titus. My 1st Lieutenant was Zebulon Burris. The other officers I do not recollect….another Captain with his company guarding the prisoners called Captain Hunt.

I was discharged by Capt Titus after my tour expired. The next service…was in the spring or summer of 1778…the British was laying in Philladelphia was expected in the spring to take up the march towards New York and Jas A Miller now had order to be ready for marching at a minutes warning. The arrangement was this: a barrel of tar was placed in the fork of a large popular that stood on a large(?) mountain and when the enemy(?) commenced…the barrel was to be set a fire as a signal to the neighboring county that they should march the next morning.

My Captain Beard stationed some of the men every night to march the mountain for the signal. Was now laying in this condition for nearly two months previous to the enemy marching. And so, soon as the as they moved we took up the line of march commanded by Capt John Beard Lieut Hogland Colo Honden (?) and Major Beard commanded our Regiment. Our General was named (left blank) Heard. was marching near Bulington at the palce called the (??). The march description continues with river names that I do not know and cannot figure out from the handwriting. The march continued…marched back and took the Monmouth road arriving..at Sandy Hook..we had to march up the river for about twenty miles before we could cross the river and enemy gained a day’s march….brought on the battle of Monmouth and whipped the enemy…we was not called into the action. The enemy shortly after took shipping (whipping?) at Sandy Hook and I was shortly afterwards by Captain Beard discharged.

I was called out four times after this in the service as a militia man, to wit: a monthly tour under Capt (?) Stout in the fall of 1778 which service was in and about the lighthouse near the Jersey shore—which I performed and was discharged. The next was a (?) of alarm when spring field was burnt by the enemy in New Jersey near Brunswick. I think was out in the service about one month. Capt Ralph Guile was my capt. I was called again for a tour of one month under Capt Titus I think….this service was performed in and about Morristown (?) in the summer of 1779. I was again and for the last time called out when the Pennsylvania line nrolled (enrolled) me. Was ordered to Princeton and lay there…This service he perforemd how long he was engaged in it he can not recollect. My capt was (blank) Titus.

He would (?) for the state after the siege of Little York ….the british passing from thence to New York through New Jersey and he and the other men took the whole of the prisoners and carried them to Trenton and put them in jail.

I shortly after the war moved from New Jersey to North Carolina, Orange County, from there moved to this county about thirty years ago…he knows of no person who can certify his service except what John McMurtry may know. He hereby relinquishes any claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension roll of the agency of any state. Signed William Dorris 16 August 1832.

John McMurty made oath that..”I served in the revolutionary war and the first tour I became acquainted with William Dorris at Gowers (? ) New Jersey during the revolutionary war…17 Aug 1832.

Francis Johnson/Johnston, a clergyman residing in the county of sumner certified with John McMurtry that “we are well acquainted with William Dorris…that we believe that he is about seventy one years of age; That he is respected and believed in the neighborhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the revolution and that we concur in the opinion”.

2 Responses to William Dorris or Doris Revolutionary War Soldier of New Jersey and Sumner County, Tennessee

Wow! All of these years I have been digging and trying to confirm that my ancestor, William, fought in The American Revolution. Thank you so much for doing this research and posting it online. Bless you. – Jason Dorris

I think I have been reincarnated. No wonder I like the Dorris men. I have married 2 of them. Have been doing geneology for my husband and stumbled on this. To think there was another Geneva way back then. Eeerrrie!!!!